Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

TOBB and Visa Launch “Smart SME” Platform to Boost the Digitalisation of SMEs in Turkey

The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) and Visa have launched Smart SME, a platform that addresses the increasing digitalisation needs of SMEs.

The Platform provides SMEs with comprehensive information and access to technology service providers with advantageous conditions.

The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) and VISA announced today the launch of the first phase of “Smart SME”, a platform that caters the digitalization needs of SMEs, that includes products and service offerings, guidance and trainings. SMEs will be able to access the Platform on www.akillikobi.org.tr, in order to contact product and service providers [for their needs] and access trainings.

Starting today, vendors will be able to register their products and services on the Platform [on helping SMEs digitalise]. Following this step, the registered products and services will be classified, and the Platform will open to SMEs in June.

A one stop shop for digitalisation

The Smart SME Platform will enable SMEs to reach a wide array of products from accounting to human resources, from web page design to online reservations. SMEs will be able to access these product and services at advantageous conditions or through campaigns in collaboration with Visa. The Platform will also provide an assessment of the levels of maturity of SMEs and related guidance. In addition, SMEs will access several virtual trade fairs in the course of the year.

Comprehensive content on accepting payments

A special "Payments" section is also taking place on the Smart SME Platform to help small businesses understand payments. The section covers information on payment methods, card acceptance, consumer and commercial cards and a checklist to define businesses’ possible [payments-related] needs, as well as an FAQ section about making and accepting card payments.

The Platform provides access to I Can Manage My Business trainings and digitalisation support

The training contents of “I Can Manage My Business” project  are also included in the “Smart Academy” section of the Platform. SMEs will be able to access free of charge online trainings, covering topics such as "risk management in pandemic", "supply chain management", "business continuity and emergency plan". SMEs will also qualify for the digitalisation support that is provided to a select number of those who will have completed their digitalization trainings and responding to set criteria.

TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu: "We offer the business world a one stop shop of digitalisation tools "

Highlighting that digitalization is inevitable for SMEs, the President of the Turkish Union of Chambers of Commerce Mr. Hisarcıklıoğlu said: “Technology is developing rapidly every year. This in turn leads to a change in the way we do business. SMEs are most affected by this change. They make up 99.8% of all enterprises in Turkey, contribute to employment with 11.5 million jobs, and have a turnover of 5.8 trillion Turkish Liras. With such an important share in our economy, the digitization of SMEs is one the most important items in our Union’s agenda,”.

Hisarcıklıoğlu continued: “While working on the digitalization of SMEs, we detected an important need: the gap between companies offering solutions in digitalization and SMEs who need those. SMEs have difficulties in reaching the solutions, and vendors have difficulties in reaching SMEs. We developed the Smart SME project together with Visa in order to gather all digitalization tools under one single roof. We aim to create a digitalization ecosystem for SMEs. In addition, we will carry out several activities to support the digital transformation of SMEs throughout the year. "

Hisarcıklıoğlu said: “I am inviting all vendors offering digitalization solutions for businesses to register their products and services on the Smart SME Platform. , We will open our the Platform to SMEs’ use following the registration of these products and services”.

Visa Turkey General Manager Merve Tezel: "SMEs are counting on digitalisation [to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic]"

Visa Turkey General Manager Merve Tezel said: "At Visa, we support SMEs on a global scale. In Turkey, we are conducting several projects for this purpose, one of which is I Can Manage My Business. The Smart SME Platform that we are launching today in partnership with TOBB, is one of the most important pieces of our SME work. According to an SME study undertaken in 2020 [for Visa], SMEs’ willingness to digitize their business is increasing over time.[1] Consumers’ preference towards online and contactless payments, the convenience and security of digital payments, the increase in sales volume triggered by e-commerce, the need to adapt to a more digital world and the opportunity to strengthen corporate identity with a website emerged from the study as SMEs’ greatest motivations. It is this urgent need for digitalization that motivated us to bring to life the Smart SME Platform in partnership with TOBB. We invite all SMEs to enter the Platform to get support in their digitalization journey”.

You can reach Smart SME Platform from http://www.akillikobi.org.tr .